1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of automobile and truck accessories. More specifically the present invention relates to a gate supporting assembly for use in combination with a truck bed behind a cab of a truck, the truck bed having a gate, the gate supporting assembly holding the gate in a partially raised position to retain cargo while minimizing drag, increasing fuel efficiency, providing air foil traction enhancement while leaving the rear bumper exposed and functional. The gate supporting assembly includes a first cable fastened to cable connectors which engage the bed and gate to hold the gate in the partially raised position when at full extension and preferably includes a conventional second cable fastened to cable connectors which engage the bed and gate to hold the gate in a substantially horizontal position, the second cable preferably being connected to the first cable.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have long been connecting members in the form of linkages and cables interconnecting truck bed side walls and lateral ends of bed gates for supporting the gate in an open, horizontal position. These connecting linkages and cables, sometimes referred to as tail gate lift cables, have served their intended purposes well, but have failed to adequately meet a several important needs of many truck owners.
The purpose of these prior connecting members is to support the gate in an open position during loading and unloading of the bed. Yet many truck owners have discovered that closed gates trap wind and create substantial drag when the truck is moving, greatly reducing fuel efficiency. As a result, many truck owners drive with their gates in the open position to eliminate this drag, but at the same time risk loss of any cargo in the bed and risk substantial liability during rear end accidents in which the open gate rides over the hood of a closed vehicle and into a vehicle occupant or into the chest of a motorcyclist sliding into the rear of the truck.
What is needed is a gate supporting assembly for positioning the gate in a position which angles back from vertical to minimize wind drag, and yet at the same time angles upwardly from horizontal to retain bed cargo and to better expose the rear truck bumper to receive direct impact.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a gate supporting assembly which interconnects a truck bed side wall and a pivoting bed gate to position the gate at an angle between horizontal and vertical and thus which permits the gate to retain bed cargo.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a gate supporting assembly which lowers the gate sufficiently to substantially reduce wind drag when the truck is moving.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a gate supporting assembly which exposes the rear truck bumper for contact during a collision.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such a gate supporting assembly which deflects passing wind when the truck is moving in such a way that the wind creates a downward force at the rear of the truck to increase rear wheel traction.
The present invention accomplishes the above-stated objectives, as well as others, as may be determined by a fair reading and interpretation of the entire specification.
A gate supporting assembly is provided for supporting a gate of a truck bed, where the truck bed includes a bed bottom wall, bottom wall lateral ends, a bottom wall forward end and a bottom wall rearward end; two opposing and spaced apart bed side walls extending upwardly from and substantially along the bottom wall lateral ends, at least one bed side wall having a side wall rearward end with a bed connector; the bed gate being pivotally secured to the bed at the bottom wall rearward end to pivot upwardly to meet the bed side walls and thereby close the bed and to pivot downwardly to become substantially horizontal and contiguous with the bed bottom wall and thereby open the bed, the gate having two opposing gate lateral ends, at least one gate lateral end having a gate connector, the gate supporting assembly including a first cable; a primary cable connector fastened to the first cable for connecting to the bed connector; a secondary cable connector fastened to the first cable and spaced apart from the primary cable connector for connecting to the gate connector; where the spacing between the primary and secondary cable connectors is such that, when the first cable is at full extension, the gate is oriented at an angle substantially midway between horizontal and vertical.
The gate supporting assembly preferably additionally comprising a second cable fastened to the primary cable connector for connecting to one of the bed connectors; a tertiary cable connector fastened to the second cable and spaced apart from the primary cable connector for connecting to the bed connector; where the spacing between the primary and tertiary cable connectors is such that, when the second cable is at full extension, the gate is substantially horizontal. The gate supporting assembly preferably further includes a cable retaining structure including a cable retaining band encircling the first cable and the second cable a distance from the primary cable connector, so that the first and second cables are retained in close proximity to each other.
The primary connector preferably includes a fastener plate having a plate fastener bore; a fastener having a fastener shank rotatably passing through the plate fastener bore and having shank ends, the fastener having a fastener head extending radially from a shank end abutting the fastener plate around the fastener bore; a plate stem portion extending radially from the fastener plate; and a cable anchor including a sheet of metal wrapped around and compressed against the plate stem portion and the first cable and the second cable creating a friction grip retaining the first cable and the second cable and the plate stem portion. Each of the secondary and tertiary cable connectors preferably include a connector loop having a loop narrower end and a loop wider end extending rearwardly of the loop narrower end; a leaf retainer spring extending radially into the loop wider end; a loop stem portion extending from the connector loop; and a cable anchor including a sheet of metal is wrapped around and compressed against the loop stem portion and the first or second cable to create a friction grip retaining the given cable and the loop stem.
A gate supporting assembly is further provided for supporting a gate of a truck bed, where the truck bed includes a bed bottom wall, bottom wall lateral ends, a bottom wall forward end and a bottom wall rearward end; two opposing and spaced apart bed side walls extending upwardly from and substantially along the bottom wall lateral ends, at least one bed side wall having a side wall rearward end with a bed connector; the bed gate being pivotally secured to the bed at the bottom wall rearward end to pivot upwardly to meet the bed side walls and thereby close the bed and to pivot downwardly to become substantially horizontal and contiguous with the bed bottom wall and thereby open the bed, the gate having two opposing gate lateral ends, at least one gate lateral end having a gate connector, the gate supporting assembly including a first interconnection structure; a primary interconnection structure connector fastened to the first interconnection structure for connecting to the bed connector; a secondary interconnection structure connector fastened to the first interconnection structure and spaced apart from the primary interconnection structure connector for connecting to the gate connector; where the spacing between the primary and second interconnection structure connectors is such that, when the first interconnection structure is at full extension, the gate is oriented at an angle substantially midway between horizontal and vertical.
The gate supporting assembly preferably additionally including and including a second interconnection structure fastened to the primary interconnection structure connector for connecting to one of the bed connectors; a tertiary interconnection structure connector fastened to the second interconnection structure and spaced apart from the primary interconnection structure connector for connecting to the bed connector; where the spacing between the primary and tertiary interconnection structure connectors is such that, when the second interconnection structure is at full extension, the gate is substantially horizontal.
A truck, including a truck bed having a bed bottom wall, a bed wall and a bed gate, the bed gate being pivotally secured to the bed to pivot upwardly to close the bed and to pivot downwardly to become substantially horizontal and thereby open the bed; a gate supporting assembly including a gate supporting mechanism releasibly supporting the gate at an angle substantially midway between horizontal and vertical.